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Victoria calls for early consultation on implications of Gonski revieW

Monday, 20 February 2012

Victoria's Education Minister Martin Dixon called for greater clarity and consultation on the Gonski review to ensure careful consideration is given to any proposed changes to current arrangements and their implications for schools, students and parents.

Mr Dixon, who called on the Gillard Government to guarantee no student or parents would be worse off as a result of the proposed changes, expressed his concern on the lack of details on how the Gillard Government planned to implement the review's recommendations.

"The Commonwealth Government has released a major report proposing a full-scale overhaul of school funding in all sectors, government, Catholic and independent. The Commonwealth proposes to pass legislation to implement the new system in 2012, yet there has been no consultation with states and territories on any details before today," Mr Dixon said.

"We know the Prime Minister read the Gonski Report over the Christmas break, but the States and Territories, which run the school systems, were forced to wait another two months, while all attempts to see and debate the report earlier were rejected.

"It is imperative the Gillard Government gets this right. Minister Garrett needs to meet with state and territory Ministers of Education to discuss further work within the next month.

"I am pleased the report adopts a number of key principles in the Victorian Government submission, namely:

• all students, whatever their family circumstances, are entitled to some public funding in support of their schooling;
• ensuring school funding tackles disadvantage;
• supporting parents through the choices they make, not penalising them; and
• respecting state and territory governments as the principal providers of school education.

"While seeming to fulfil its promise to continue some public funding for all students, including those in independent schools, the report is unclear on future indexation arrangements.

"If the current indexation arrangements are not maintained, within a decade Victorian schools could be as much as $388 million worse off each year.

"Parents would be justly concerned about the affordability of school fee increases as a result of a change to current arrangements.

"The report proposes a new National School Resourcing Body to determine the national resource standard. Without further discussion it is hard to see what value another layer of bureaucracy will bring to the schooling sector and the already overlaying activities of state, territory and federal governments.

"One particular area where we do agree there is a need for further immediate work is disability. This is an area on which I have been working with our education sectors to see adequate funding follow the student.

"I look forward to further discussions to ensure a fair outcome for all Victorian students," Mr Dixon said.

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